TRU women’s soccer players preparing for early wake-up call to watch Canada play for gold

The gold-medal game was changed from 7 p.m. PT on Thursday to Friday morning at 5 a.m. due to heat concerns from both teams.

Before the time change, the WolfPack planned to watch the game at the Paramount Theatre downtown, but couldn’t book the space.

Even though it’s bright and early Friday, many of them don’t want to miss the biggest moment in Canadian soccer history, especially if Canada can knock off Sweden for gold.

Already, the TRU players are inspired by the nail-biting 1-0 win over the U.S. in the semis.

“I had chills watching that [penalty kick] that Jessie Fleming took,” said Wolfpack player Camryn Curts. “I had chills running through my body. It was super exciting to see them come back in that semi after the 2012 Olympics.”

It’s especially cool for TRU coach Mark Pennington, who spent some time with the U17 national women’s team. He knows a few of the players that are on this historic team. He worked with Quinn, Kadeisha Buchanan, and Pennington has briefly crossed paths with Christine Sinclair.

He feels that, regardless of the outcome, the team will have a big impact on the grassroots game in Canada.

“I think it turns a few more young players onto soccer at the grassroots level, I think it helps everything,” said Pennginton. “It’s a great thing for the sport in general and especially young females coming through in Canada.”

The women already have an attachment to the game and they too are motivated by what the national team has done.

“Coming up, the Canadian soccer team wasn’t taken very seriously for a really long time,” said WolfPack player Georgia Aldus. “To see them all come together and make that happen, it’s super inspiring.”

Curts added, “Just to see them out there, and you can only hope to one day be as good as them, but it makes you put in a little bit of extra work off the field.”

The girls’ predict Canada will take the gold.

“I think they have it. I think they have it. I think they’re going to build on that momentum they have from the semi-final, and I’m saying they win,” said Aldus.

Curts added, “Sweden is obviously a very good team, but Canada has such a hard work ethic that I think they’ll push it and get the win.”

Pennington knows anything can happen in a championship soccer game, but gives Canada the slight edge.

“I think the emotional piece of beating the U.S. will really help them — give them a ton of confidence to go in, and I’m sure [national women’s head coach] Bev [Priestman] will have them tactically and mentally ready and hopefully we get over the line and come back with a gold,” he said.

by Chad Klassen

TRU women’s soccer players preparing for early wake-up call to watch Canada play for gold

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